Half to joseph m



.L t e e h 4 S b e e h S 2 (No Model?) 0. M. WYANT. EARTH AUGBR.

No. 554,968. Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

2 Sheets-sh (No Model.) 7

- M. WYANT.

EARTH AUGER.

N0. 554,968. Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

NITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

CHRISTOPHER M. VVYANT, OF EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO JOSEPH M. BOGGEMANN, OF SAME PLACE.

EARTH-AUGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,968, dated February 18, 1896.

Application filed October 25, 1895. Serial No. 566,866. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: In the drawings, 1 designates the stem of Beitknown that LCHRISTOPHER MNVYANT, the auger, which is made of tubing, such as of East St. Louis, St. Clair county, Illinois, gas-pipe, and may be provided witha handle have invented a certain new and useful Imto operate the auger manually,or may be actu- 5 5 provement in Earth-Angers, of which the folated by suitable mechanical means, and the lowing is a full, clear, and exact description, stem maybe of sections detachably connected reference being had to the accompanying together. In the lower end of the stem is drawings, forming a partof this specification. fitted a center bit 2 of non-circular form, pref- My invention relates to an earth-auger con erably square in cross-section, which form 60 1o taining novel features that adapt it for opcauses it to readily bore into the ground to eration in all qualities of earth and under guide the auger in starting it. This center the varying conditions of the ground, and bit is heldby aset-screw 55in the stem 1, thereforms an auger which is easily removed from by permitting of the adjustment of the bit to the ground in withdrawing it for removal of the varying conditions of the ground, inas- 65 the accumulated earth. much as where the ground is hard it is nec- To this end my invention consists in a twoessary that the point project only a short dissection bit having blades arranged with optance below the auger, whereas in soft ground positely-presented angles and adownwardlyit can project a greater distance, as it will extending lip on each bitat opposite sides of readily enter the soft ground before the auger- 7o the bit, a yoke connecting said bit-sections bits begin to operate. Another object in havto the operating-stem, an upwardly-extend ing the bit 2 removably attached is to permit ing rim at the outer edge of each bit-section of its removal to sharpen it or insert a new by which the auger cuts its way on removal one when the one in use becomes dulled. from the ground, a downwardly-extending 4 designates a yoke connected to the stem 75 toothed rim provided with teeth that cut any 1 and to which the bit-sections 5 are attached roots or like obstructions with which the auger by screws 6 or other suitable fastenings. may come in contact, an adjustable center This yoke forms but little obstruction to the bit of non-circular form in cross-section that passage of dirt onto the auger, and therefore will enter the hardest ground to form a cenit is a material feature of construction in my 80 o ter in starting the auger into the ground; and auger.

my invention consists further in the details Each of the bit-sections 5 has an inclined of construction hereinafter described and blade portion 7, the lower portions of which pointed out in the claims. form cutting-lips 8 at which the blades taper Referring to the drawings, FigureI isaside from the upper surface, as illustrated in the 8 5 3 5 elevation of my improved auger. Fig. II is section shown in Fig. IX, so that the blade a top view with the stem shown in cross-secwill readily enter the ground, while at the tion. Fig. III is a side elevation looking at elevated portions the edges of the blades taper the side instead of the ends of the bit-sections. from the under surface, as illustrated in Fig. Fig. IV illustrates the auger-stem in vertical X, in order that no obstruction will be pre- 90 section and the center bit'in elevation. Fig. sented on the reverse movement in with- V is a view of the under side of the auger. drawal of the auger from the ground. Fig. VI is an inside edge view of one of the For the purpose of canting the cutting end bit-sections. Fig. VII is a section taken on of each bit and causing it to take a ranker line VII VIII, Fig. V, through one of the bitout into the ground, I may employ a washer 5 sections. Fig. VIII is a section taken on line 9, inserted between the yoke and the bit-sec- VII VIII, Fig. V, illustrating the insertion of tion, (see Fig. VIII,) which lowers the bit at a washer between the yoke and bit for the that end, as is clearly illustratedin said figure. purpose of canting the cutting end of the bit- The bit-sections 5 are provided with vertical sections. Fig. IX is a section taken on line rims 10 on their outer upper edges, said rims 100 IX IX, Fig. VI. Fig. X is a section taken 011 being provided with cutting-edges 11 11, the line X X, Fig. VI. purpose of said rims being to cut the ground at the edge of the hole in the descent of the auger. This rim has a further use in removing the auger from the ground, which I will now recite. The operator of an earth-anger in standing over the hole bored by the auger and drawing upward on the auger naturally exerts a considerable downward pressure on the ground on which he stands, and as a consequence the earth is pressed inward toward the cavity, which renders it a difiicult matter to remove the auger from the ground to discharge the accumulated dirt. The cuttingedge 11 cuts the way on the removal of the auger and facilitates an easier removal. Directly beneath the rims 10 are rims 12 on the under side of the bit-sections, provided with teeth 13 that serve the double use of trimming the ground at the edge of the hole and also cut any roots or similar obstructions with which they may come in contact in the process of boring.

I have described my auger in connection with earth-boring only, but it is evident it might be employed for boring in other substances, and therefore I do not limit myself to its use for such purpose.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an earth-auger, the combination of an operating-stem bit-sections carried by said stem said bit-sections being provided with inclined blade portions and toothed rims at the outer edges of their under surfaces, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an earth-auger, the combination of an operating-stem, bit-sections carried by said stem, said bit-sections being provided with rims at the outer edges of their upper surfaces, and toothed rims at the outer edges of their under surfaces, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In an earth-auger, the combination of an operating-ste1n,ayoke connected to said stem, an adjustable non-circular center bit carried by said stem, bit-sections carried by said yoke, said bit-sections being provided with rims at the outer edges of their upper surfaces, and toothed rims at the outer edges of their under surfaces, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

E. S. KNIGHT, N. FINLEY. 

